Thill-coupling.



Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

G. LAKE.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1910.

eonnanav LAKE, GEOLE'VELAND; OHIO.

riir znooornino.

Specification of Letters I E'ate nt.

Application filed November 2, 1510. seri l No. 590,258.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known'that I, GOLLADAY LAKE, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

sidin at Cleveland, in the county'of (hiya hoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Thill- Couplings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-.

tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a thill-coupling comprising a bracket affording bearing to the shackle of a thill-iron and divided into an upper section and a lower sect on toper-,

mit the removal of the thill-iron fromor its application to said bracket, and the ob-.

ject sought is to provide efficient means for locking the upper bracket-section to the lower bracket-section and to positively prevent detachment of the thill-iron from the bracket when the thill-iron is in position projecting upwardly and forwardly from the bracket.

My improved thill-coupling is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side View, in central section, showing a thill connected to an axle by said thill-coupling, Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2, Fig. 1, and shows the shackle of the thill-iron in section. Fig. 3 isa verti-. cal section on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking forwardly. Fig. 1 is a front elevation relative to Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a. side view, showthe thill-iron swung rearwardly. Referring to said drawings, Gr indicates a vehicle-axle to which a thill K is connected by said thill-coupling which comprises a clip H mounted on the axle and having studs 7t projecting downwardly through an arm B formed on the lower section B of a bracket which is arranged in the main at the forward side of the axle, which arm is clamped to the axle by nuts 6 screwed onto said studs. Said bracket has a hole 10 extending laterally and horizontally through the bracket which isdivided centrally between the top and bottom of said hole into an upper section A and the hereinbefore mentioned lower section B. The lower bracket-section B has reinforcing lugs B at the sides of the bracket. A thill-ironI extends longitudinally of and is secured to the thill K. Said thill-iron is provided with a shackle which comprises two laterally spaced side members 18 arranged at 1 is held opposite sides respectively of the bracket and connected together by a horizontally arranged member 12 which is circular in cross-sectionand extends endwise of and through the hole 10, and a tubular washer f is mounted on said member 12 and arranged within said hole. iron. I, therefore, comprises a shackle hav ing bearing in the bracket and provided (see Fig. 3) with shoulders 20 at the sides of the bracket. A. pivotal pin C, which is arranged rearward of and parallel with the axis of said shackle, extends through an ear aforined on the rear end of the upper bracketsection and. through ears 6 formed on the lower bracket-section. The upper bracket-section is arranged, therefore, to be swung in a vertical plane.

the upper bracket-section is closed against the lower bracket-section, engages a recess 1 1.

formed in the upper bracket-section, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

Means whereby the upper bracket-section section are provided and comprise a member E instrumental in locking the upper bracket-section to the lower bracket section. The upper bracket-section is providedat its top and forward of the shackle member 12 with a surface 15 arranged to be engaged by the locking member E., My improved means for locking the upper bracket-section to the lower bracket-section also comprise a loop-shaped link arranged forward of the axis of the shackle of the thill-iron. Said link has two spaced members D and d which are circular in cross-section and paralleljwitli the shacklemember 12. The link-member D has bearing in the lower. bracket-section forward of the axis of the shackle and engages a recess 13 in the bottom of saidbracket-section and is retained within said recess by lips 71 formed on said bracket-section and overlapping "the'under side of said link-member.

The link is, therefore, arranged to swing in a vertical plane. The lower bracketsection is composed of a piece of malleable metal,

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

The thillt he lower bracket-section is provided in the top of its forward POItIOII WitlI a lug 13, which, when down upon the lower bracket.

and the lips b are in the position shown in dotted lines at 21, Fig. 1, before the application of the link and bent into place upon said application. The link-member cl is arranged externally of the bracket and engages a recess E in the locking-member E .rotatably mounted on said pivotal member.

The link also comprises side-members 16 which connect the link-members d and D together and are arranged at the sides of the bracket. The link is arranged, therefore, to be swung to move the locking mem ber E over or away from the surface 15 according as the upper bracket-section is to be locked to or unlocked from the lower bracket-section. The locking member E has such contour and dimensions that it, when actuated into engagement with the surface 15, as shown in Fig. 1 and in solid lines in Fig. 5, upon swinging the link into position to bring the link-member (Z over said surface, locks the upper bracket-section to the lower bracket-section. The lockingmember E is provided with a lever e which in the locking position of said ilockingmember, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, lies on top of the upper bracket-section and projects rearwardly.

The thill iron, when a vehicle provided with the same is in use, is in position projecting upwardly and forwardly from the bracket, as shown in Fig. 1, and the length of the lever 6 relative to the dimensions of the shackleof the thill-iron is such as to prevent the lever, when the locking-member E is in its locking position, from being actuated upwardly and forwardly through the space between the side members 18 of c the shackle in the aforesaid position of the thill-iron so as to prevent the detachment of the-thill-iron from the bracket in said position of the thill-iron. Of course, when the thill-iron is swung far enough rearwardly toward the clip H, as shown in Fig. 5, the lever e is free to be actuated into the position, shown at 17 in dotted lines,

Fig. 5, to render the locking-member E capable of being swung from over the upper bracket-section, whereupon said locking member may be moved into the position shown in dotted lines at 19 in Fig. 5 and thereby render the upper bracketsection free to be swung upwardly and rearwardly and permit the removal of the thilliron from or its application to the bracket.

Vi hat I claim is In a thill-coupling, a bracket divided into an upper section and a lower section, the upper bracket-section being pivotally connected at its rear end to the lower bracketsection and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane and the lower bracket-section being adapted to be attached to an axle; a thill-iron having: a shackle which has bearing in the bracket forward of the axis of the upper bracket-section; a link having? bearing in the lower bracket section forward of the axis of the shackle and having,- its axis parallel with the axis of the shackle, said link having a pivotal member which is ar anged externally of the bracket and substantially parallel with and spaced from the axis of the link, and a locking member rotatably mounted on said pivotal member and in its locking position overlapping the top of the upper bracket-section forward of the axis of the shackle, said locking member having a lever which in said position of said locking member projects rcarwardly through said shackle when the chill-iron is in position projecting upwardly and forwardly of the bracket, the length of said lever relative to the dimensions of the shackle being such as to prevent the lever in its locking position from being actuated upwardly and forwardly through the shackle in the aforesaid position of the thilliron.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two wit nesses.

GOLLADAY LAKE. lVitnesses B. 0. BROWN, N. L. MoDoNNnLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

